Exerciser



June 18, 1963 A. R. SHINGLETON EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1961 INVEN TOR.

ASA RAY SHINGLETON A TTORNE Y June 18, 1963 -A. R- SHINGLETON EXERCISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22. 1961,

INVENTOR.

ASA RAY SHINGLETON Row B A TTORNE Y United States Filed Aug. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 133,144 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-57) This invention relates to exercising devices generally, and more particularly to an improved exerciser especially adapted for use in home and hospital therapy and for physical development programs.

Recent trends emphasizing the importance of physical development through exercise have given rise to the widespread production of exercising equipment for use in promoting general physical fitness and for therapeutical purposes. The exercising kits previously developed have normally included a number of various separate exercising units which are specifically adapted to be utilized during the execution of specific exercises for strengthening certain muscles or portions of the human body. Home exercise 'kits incorporating a large number of component parts are now commercially available, but these kits require a large amount of storage space and have proven to be excessively expensive. These disadvantages have tended to discourage public acceptance of physical development through home exercise, and, therefore, the need has arisen for a compact, inexpensive exerciser which is adaptable for universal use with numerous exercises for strengthening various portions of the human body.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved exerciser which may be adjusted to permit use by persons of varying size.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved exerciser so constructed that movement thereof by a portion of the human body during an exercise will be opposed by other portions of the human body.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved exerciser adapted to receive weights of varying sizes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved exerciser of simple, compact construction which is especially adapted for use in therapeutical rehabilitation and physical development.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved exerciser for use in the execution of a variety of exercises which may be economically produced.

With these objects and other features and advantages of the invention in mind, which will appear from the following description and claims taken in connection with the drawings, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the exerciser of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation illustrating the exerciser of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is :a view in elevation disclosing the exerciser of the present invention provided with weight units; and

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are elevational views illustrating the use of the exerciser of the present invention during the execution of various exercises.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, the exerciser of the present invention indicated generally at 10* includes an elongated central member or shaft 11 which may be tubular in configuration. Extending forwardly from one end of the shaft 11 are a plurality of arm members 12, 13 and 14. These arm members may preferably be formed by securing a plurality of elongated shafts or rods of suitable configuration to the central shaft 11 by welding, as illustrated at 15, or other suitable means to provide arms which atent are integral extensions of the shaft 11. It is also possible that arm 12, which is located centrally between arms 13 and 14, might be an extension of the central shaft '11.

Arms 13 and 14 extend angularly outward on either side of the central shaft 11 from a common junction point 16, thereby forming side arms having a V configuration. The side arms 13 [and 14 also extend angularly downward from the junction point '16, and the free ends thereof may be downwardly curved as indicated at 17 in FIGURE 2.

Arm 12 is located centrally between the side arms 13 and 14 and extends angularly upward from the junction point 16 with the central shaft 11 as illustrated by FIG- URE 2.

Projecting transversely to the shaft 11 from either side thereof is a combined foot-rest and weight spindle 18. Foot-rest 18 may be formed from a single piece of bar material which is capable of being selectively fitted into one of a plurality of spaced apertures 19* formed in the central shaft 11. To weight the exerciser 10, a plurality of suitable weight units 20 may be fitted upon the spindle 18 as illustrated by FIGURE 3. The Weight units may be removably secured to the spindle 18 by any suitable means.

The operation and use of the exerciser of the present invention may be best understood by referring to FIG- URES 4, 5, and 6, which illustrate the exerciser in use during the execution of three different exercises.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the user, reclining on his back in a prone position, reaches upwardly and grasps the angularly extending side arms 13 and 14 of the exerciser 10'. The feet of the user, when placed below the foot-rest 18 as illustrated in FIGURE 4, act as a weight to oppose the movement of the exerciser to the position illustrated in phantom lines in FIGURE 4. Thus, the exercise is executed by applying downward pressure to the side arms 13 and 14 to force the exerciser to the phantom line position against the opposition of the users feet, and then returning the exerciser to the starting position by applying pressure upwardly against the foot-rest to overcome the opposition of the users arms. It should be noted in FIGURE 4 that the upward angular extension of the center arm 12 from the junction 16 facilitates free movement of the exerciser 10 without danger of contact with the body of the user. Also, the angular downward extension of the side arms 13 and 14 plus the downward curve 17 at the ends of the side arms 13 and 14 insures that the center shaft 11 of the exerciser 10 will be held above the users body to facilitate free movement of the exerciser 10 during the execution of an exercise.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the use of the exerciser 10 during the execution of an exercise similar to that described in connection with FIGURE 4. However, in the exercise illustrated by FIGURE 5, both hands of the user grasp the center arm 12 during the exercise. It should be noted in FIGURE 5 that the angular upward extension of the center arm 12 from the junction 16 causes the central shaft 11 to clear the face and chest of the user during the execution of the exercise.

FIGURE 6 discloses the use of the exerciser 10 of the present invention during the execution of an exercise wherein the user assumes a prone position on his chest. The exercise of FIGURE 6 is executed in a manner simi lar to the exercises illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The exercises illustrated by FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 may well be included in a therapeutical rehabilitation program for developing portions of the body weakened by disease or injury. If, for example, the legs of a patient are affected, they may be exercised by placing the feet upon the foot-rest -18 and then moving them by hand and arm manipulation of the exerciser.

The exerciser 10 of the present invention is con structed with an over-all length of from seven to eight feet to facilitate use by persons of all heights. Before use,

the effective length of the exerciser 10 may be adjusted to suit the height of the user by placing the foot-rest 18 in the desired aperture 19. It is obvious that many other constructions may be utilized to adjust the effective over-all length of the exerciser 10. For example, it would be possible to rigidly attach the foot-rest 18 to the central stem 11, and to construct the central stem 11 of telescoping sections which might be selectively adjusted in length.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a novel exerciser of simple compact construction which is readily adaptable for universal use in physical development. The arrangement and types of components utilized within this invention may be subject to numerous modifications well within the purview of this inventor who intends only to be limited to a liberal interpretation of the specification and appended claims.

I claim:

1. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises, comprising a central shaft, a footrest connected to said shaft adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of angularly extending elongated arms secured to the opposite end of said shaft, said arms extending from said shaft forwardly of their juncture therewith.

2. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises, comprising a central shaft, a footrest connected to one end of said shaft and projecting from either side thereof, means provided on said shaft to facilitate the adjustment of said foot-rest longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of outwardly extending elongated arms secured to the opposite end of said shaft at a substantially common juncture, said arms extending forwardly of the shaft relative to said common juncture.

3. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises comprising a central shaft, a footrest connectable with said shaft at any one of a plurality of positions adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of arms connected to said shaft at a substantially common juncture adjacent the opposite end thereof, said arms extending forwardly and downwardly of the shaft relative to said foot-rest.

4. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises, comprising a central shaft, 21 footrest connectable with said shaft at any one of a plurality of positions adjacent one end thereof, two side arms secured to the opposite end of said shaft and extending angularly outward and downward from a substantially common juncture therewith, a central arm positioned between said side arms and extending angularly upward from a connection with said common juncture, said central and side arms extending forwardy of the shaft rela tive to said foot-rest.

5. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises, comprising an elongated central shaft having a plurality of spaced, transversely extending apertures provided therein, said apertures being positioned adjacent one end of said shaft, a foot-rest removably posipositioned in one of said apertures and projecting on either side of said central shaft, said foot-rest being adaptable for insertion in any of said apertures, a pair of side arms attached to the opposite end of said shaft and extending angularly outwardly and downwardly from a common juncture therewith in a V configuration, and a central arm positioned between said side arms and extending angularly upward from a connection with said common juncture, said central and side arms extending forwardly of the shaft relative to the foot-rest.

6. An exerciser adapted for use in the execution of a variety of exercises, comprising a central shaft, two side arms secured to one end of said shaft and extending angularly outward and downward from a substantially common juncture therewith, a central arm positioned between said side arms and extending angularly upward from said common juncture, said central and side arms extending from said shaft in a direction forward of said common juncture, and a foot rest secured to said shaft adjacent the end opposite said central and side arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 457,400 Dowd Aug. 11, 1891 758,971 Jordan May 3, 1904 2,328,104 Finley Apr. 15, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,214,549 France Nov. 9, 1959 

1. AN EXERCISER ADAPTED FOR USE IN THE EXECUTION OF A VARIETY OF EXERCISES, COMPRISING A CENTRAL SHAFT, A FOOTREST CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, AND A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY EXTENDING ELONGATED ARMS SECURED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SHAFT, SAID ARMS EXTENDING FROM SAID SHAFT FORWARDLY OF THEIR JUNCTURE THEREWITH. 